Germany, US in World Cup semis

Montreal: Germany moved into the World Cup semi-finals thanks to a penalty shootout victory over France in Montreal on Friday.

Louisa Necib gave France the lead midway through the second half, but Celia Sasic equalised for Germany from the penalty spot after Laura Georges was penalised for handball.

Gaetane Thiney missed a gilt-edged chance to win the quarter-final tie for France in extra time when she skewed her shot wide of the target despite being unmarked at the far post and just a yard from goal.

Her glaring miss proved costly as Claire Lavogez missed the deciding penalty as Germany won the shootout 5-4 to book a semi-final encounter against the United States, who sealed their seventh successive World Cup semi-final appearance after captain Carli Lloyd scored to guide them to a 1-0 victory over China in the second quarter-final of the day.